Ontario has designated the week beginning on the third Sunday of November as Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week to help promote safe schools and a positive learning environment.

Front of Yonge Elementary School in Mallorytown saw opportunity in this week to speak to their students about the impact of bullying and the importance of being kind to others. They organized different activities throughout the week to engage in this learning experience.

On Tuesday, the school invited three nursing students from St. Lawrence College, who are completing a placement at the school, to start up the conversation about bullying. Together, they created a bulletin board in the hallway that read “lend a hand to stop bullying.” They traced their hands, wrote positive sayings on them and posted them to the board.

On Thursday, they were fortunate to have Isabella Rose share her story of bullying. The Chicago-based grade 10 had a submucous cleft palate when she was young. Due to this, Rose’s speech sounded like she was whistling and many children made fun of the way she talked.

Rose underwent surgery to fix the small hole in her palate, but has since been an advocate for anti-bullying. She has gone from struggling to be understood to becoming a gifted vocalist, and hopes to perform professionally one day.

“It is so great to welcome Bella who has overcome her challenges with such grace” said Front of Yonge Public School Principal Jennifer Moore. “I feel that our students really connected with her story.”

After the presentation on Thursday, Constable Sandra Barr made a visit to each classroom to continue the conversation about bullying.